


Turn Back Time (and Make it Alright)

by RoseRose



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fix-It, Gen or Pre-Slash, Happy Ending, Other, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, in that order
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26067163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseRose/pseuds/RoseRose
Summary: Loki had worked hard to get Earth ready for Thanos, and three idiots had to ruin it. He sends one of them back in time to fix their mistake.It works out for the best, even if Bucky is a bit confused about it all.Can be read as gen or pre-slash depending on your shipping goggles.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 9
Kudos: 92
Collections: WinterIronShield Bang Ultimate Collection





	Turn Back Time (and Make it Alright)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sagana_Rojana_Olt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagana_Rojana_Olt/gifts).



> For the WinterIronShield Reverse Bang!
> 
> Lovely art by Sagana_Rojana_Olt! [Here is her tumblr post!](https://saganarojanaolt.tumblr.com/post/627262529774780416/art-prompt-for-winterironshieldbang)
> 
> Thank you to [Fearlesslexi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fearlesslexi) for the beta!
> 
> (Title from "Turn Back Time" by Cher)

Loki was furious. All the effort he had put into bringing the Avengers together to keep Thanos at bay, and it was ruined because three stubborn idiots couldn’t talk to each other. This would be a disaster, unless he could fix it. Except, neither Rogers nor Stark would listen to him, and Barnes? That idiot was putting himself on ice. They were, all of them, worse than his brother! That’s what he got for staying in New York to monitor the Accords instead of following Stark and Rogers to Siberia. _Huh. Well, that’s useful._ Loki felt a presence reaching out to him, another Infinity Stone. After wielding the Mind Stone he was apparently a bit connected to the others. _Eye of Agamatto, please_. That was also something different. Apparently the Time Stone liked the name the pesky Earthlings gave it.

Still, it was his last chance. And he knew he could only do so much with it. Too much time manipulation and he would destroy the fabric of the universe. Which would stop Thanos, but there wasn’t much point of that without a universe around to make mischief in. So, decisions had to be made. And preferably before he had to sneak around an Ancient One who had been doing magic almost as long as he had, give or take a couple centuries.

Visiting the three of them incognito seemed to be the best way to start. Stark’s rage and grief made him absolutely unsuitable. Maybe in a few years he’d be ready, but Loki didn’t have a few years. Rogers, well, Rogers was so focused on how he had failed his friends that he wasn’t able to get past it enough that Loki could trust him to fix things rather than haring off immediately to find Barnes like he did this last time. Barnes himself, though, well, he was full of guilt too, but it was the useful kind. The wanting to change things not just for Rogers but for Stark. So the brainwashed one it was. Still, he could do a bit to help, first.

Green smoke filled the cryochamber, but no one was looking. Somehow, after it left, Barnes’ face looked less troubled, more peaceful.

Now that a decision had been made and prepped for, time to sneak around the Ancient One. He knew he had a short window as to when he could send Barnes. Fortunately, apparently, the Time Stone, excuse him, the _Eye of Agamatto_ , was on his side, and helped him out. He was a bit confused, but he wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. (Okay, yes he was, he was a suspicious sort and he knew it, but this time he couldn’t afford to do so. So damnit, he was going to have to deal with the suspicion.) He knew that sending Barnes back to 1991 would be too far, it would tear time instead of gently unraveling to the point where he wanted to make a change. After 1991, though, there was no good point. Not until it was just shy of too late. And the Eye had opinions. Ones he couldn’t afford to ignore since it was helping him out so much. So, Loki chose, and worked his magic, and let his past self know as best he could, because once the magic was done, he himself would not remember...

Bucky was dragging Steve from a river. “What the fucking fuck?!” The last thing he remembered before this moment was slowly freezing again, though this time by his own choice. Now, he was at something he barely remembered, though his memories seemed clearer than they had been before he went to sleep. Shaking his head, a bit of green smoke, barely noticed, wisped away. Well, if he was back in the past, he was going to do his best to fix it. Siberia would not happen again. Stark didn’t deserve to find out that way, and Steve didn’t deserve to lose his friend over Bucky. Bucky wasn’t worth it.

Just when Bucky was about to get a bit too introspective, some sort of river plant (he didn’t know river plants) slid out of his pants onto the ground, causing him to look down at Steve. He had two thoughts run through his brain right then. The first was “Ew, slimy.” The second was “Okay, better get Steve to a doctor.” The only reason he wasn’t more worried about Steve was that he knew Steve had survived this the first time. This time, though, Bucky would be there as Steve recovered. Maybe for once he’d listen and not attempt to do too much too soon. _Fat chance_ his past memories whispered at him, all the times an asthmatic Steve decided he was going to beat up bullies while hacking up a lung running through his head. 

At least Steve wouldn’t be chasing after him. Chasing after Hydra, maybe, but at least not after him. Now, Bucky had a choice. Last time, he remembered he left Steve behind. Like hell he was going to do that again. He knew he was a risk, but… something was different in his brain. Maybe Shuri managed to fix him before whatever happened that sent him back. And that’s what decided him. The Black Widow would be willing to make sure he was safe, even though Stevie wouldn’t. And she definitely had some safe houses off the SHIELD grid.

What he didn’t expect was that two hours after talking to the Widow was that he would be standing in Stark Tower. The explanation made sense, the only place that was both secure and had the medical technology to help Captain America, but still, he wasn’t ready. His last memory of Stark was his arm being destroyed after they watched a video of him killing Stark’s parents. And Stark didn’t know that yet. _Damnit, Stevie. You always drag me into messes._ Still, this would give him the chance to apologize, before Steve could even think to talk to Stark. He owed Stark that, and if Stark took it badly, well, he could hide out until Steve was better and then stick with him.

What he absolutely, truly did not expect was the Widow handing him a thumb drive. She whispered to him, “Have him watch this first. Then he might understand.” Then she slipped off. The thumb drive was labeled, “For Tony’s eyes only. Nat.”

He didn’t realize she knew, too. Huh, apparently Steve wasn’t the only idiot on the Avengers. Well, at least things were already changing for the better. He had a guess as to what was on the drive, but even now, years further than anyone thought he was from the situation, thinking about it wasn’t going to happen. But now, time to face the lion in his den. First, the gate guard. Bucky had been introduced to JARVIS when he got to the tower, so hopefully this bit would be easy, because if it wasn’t, any next move would put him on Stark’s bad side to begin with.

“JARVIS? Do you think I could talk to Mr. Stark? In person?”

“Sir says you can have ten minutes.” Breathing a sigh of relief, Bucky entered the open elevator.

Upon arriving, he decided to switch the order the Widow suggested. He wasn’t going to get his start here by lying. That seemed to be where everything went wrong between Stevie and Stark, and it wasn’t the kind of lying from saying the wrong thing, it was leaving things out. _Damn it, Stevie. I don’t know how, but this is your fault._ Bucky absolutely didn’t want to tell Stark, but if he didn’t, Stevie was going to ruin a friendship. That look on Stark’s face… it had been betrayal.

Well, time to turn on every bit of charm he had left. Not the kind that got him dates, the kind that got him both into and out of trouble when Steve ended up in an alley- again. Which made sense since this was just another alley writ large. Bucky walked into the workshop, hoping that this would work. “Stark, first of all, thank you for letting me stay here.” Stark looked up from his tinkering, Bucky wasn’t sure what it was, and waved it off.

“Don’t worry about it, RoboCop”

Bucky took a deep breath and continued “I have something to tell you. If you don’t want me to stay after you hear it, just say the word, though I hope you’ll at least let me visit Stevie until he’s up and moving. And that you’ll watch this, as well, after.” Bucky handed over the thumb drive, and took another deep breath. “I’m so sorry, but Stark, I… I remember my missions. And on one of them… I killed your parents. I’m so sorry.”

“Get out.” Stark’s voice was low and dangerous. Bucky started backing away.

“Can… can I still see Stevie?” He was not proud of how his voice broke on the question, but he couldn’t take it back.

“Don’t leave the tower. Just… just get out of my sight.” Stark was still clearly pissed off, but at least Bucky could go stay with Steve. If he was anyone other than who he was, Bucky would have fled the workshop. As it was, he left it rather quickly.

On the elevator he considered the next steps. Stark might not have known what to expect, but if he wasn’t careful, the Widow would notice he wasn’t as traumatized as he should be. Hell, _he_ still didn’t know how he wasn’t as traumatized as he should be. Hopefully Stevie would be too glad to have him back to question it, but he doubted he would be as lucky with the Widow. He remembered the mission. She may have been his toughest opponent before Steve, and probably the best at reading a situation. Still, since he didn’t know what was going on, all he could do was not give away his knowledge of the future and do his best to take care of his friend… which probably meant, just like with the Commandos, taking care of everyone. _How the hell do I always end up like this?_

On his way back to sit with Steve, he passed Sam. Unlike Widow, after Bucky called him Falcon, he requested Bucky call him Sam instead. “Hey, man, how’re you doing?” Bucky attempted to smile at Sam in response, since he didn’t think he wanted to talk to him about things. Sam thought they were basically strangers, anyway. Damnit, he really wasn’t cut out for time travel, but given the situation, if he told anyone he’d be thought to be crazy. Well, more crazy.

“I’m fine.” Bucky was absolutely not fine, but Sam wasn’t going to be able to fix it. Unfortunately, when he really just wanted to spend some time to himself watching Steve recover, Sam decided he also needed to keep an eye on Stevie. So, the two of them were sitting there in awkward silence when Stevie began to stir.

“Buck? You’re here?” A joyful smile spread across Stevie’s face as soon as he opened his eyes. Only iron control kept Bucky from shedding a few tears.

“Yeah, punk. I’m here.”

Bucky was never sure how long they stayed there, his time sense gone as he watched Stevie drink in his presence. He was jolted back to reality by JARVIS.

“Mr. Barnes, Sir requests your presence in the workshop to discuss the information you previously provided him. Will you be able to join him in half an hour?”

“Uh, sure, JARVIS.” Bucky was incredibly nervous. What if Stark was going to kick him out after all? And of course JARVIS had to say something in front of Steve, whose eyes had narrowed in suspicion. 

“What information? Is this something I should know?” Steve was now Captain America, the man who ran the Howling Commandos. That’s not who Bucky wanted right now, he wanted his friend, Stevie. Still, maybe if he said it now, then everyone would be on the same page and they could fight Hydra instead of each other.

“Stevie… One of my missions was to kill Howard Stark. And I did. I couldn’t stay here, in Stark’s tower, without telling him.” Bucky was hunched over. He actually didn’t know if Stevie knew that already, or if it was new information for him, too.

Steve’s silence was telling. “You knew? How?” Bucky had no idea how or why Steve had kept it from Stark so long the first time around, but maybe now he could find out.

The sigh was loud. “I never could hide anything from you, could I, Buck? I didn’t know for sure, but, during the whole mess, fuck you don’t even know, we ran into Zola…” Steve cut off immediately and looked at Bucky.

Swallowing heavily, Bucky spoke. “I don’t like talking about Zola, but… well, he’s dead, right? I think i can make it through.”

Bucky was worried that Steve would manage to look right through him. He was also worried about the fact he _wasn’t_ more upset. Well, maybe he’d tell Stevie later. And Stark. Stark deserved to know this, too. But could he tell without ruining everything? Taking a deep breath, Bucky shoved all of that down. “Go ahead, Stevie. I think I need to know.”

“Well, we were in this old bunker at Fort Lehigh and on this computer was Zola. Not a program, apparently he turned himself into an AI, and he, well, he showed some pictures on the screen while giving a Hydra rant about shaping the future. One of those pictures, it was an article about Howard’s death. I… I didn’t _know_ it was you, but the implication was clear.” Stevie wound down, and Bucky didn’t move.

If that was what Steve knew, no wonder he didn’t tell Stark, there was no proof. But, also, with that, he couldn’t deny it if Stark asked. It was the worst of both worlds, and almost completely explained how Siberia had gotten so disastrous. Well, now he’d prevented that. And in just a few minutes he’d see if there was a new disaster instead. “It was bad, Stevie. I didn’t know him, then, but he _said my name_. He knew me before I killed him, and I don’t know if I can forgive myself.”

And he knew it. He might not be falling apart as much as he thought he should be, but he was still full of guilt for the deaths he caused. He just was together enough to know he had to keep going to prevent even more death. Of course, Stevie was Stevie, and had to try to assuage Bucky’s guilt. “It wasn’t your fault, Buck, it was Hydra’s. Please, don’t blame yourself. If anything it’s my fault for letting you-”

Bucky couldn’t let that stand. “No! Steve, it is _not_ your fault. You didn’t let me fall, and you did your best to save me. Don’t blame yourself.”

“And it’s not your fault, either. You had no control. If I can’t blame myself you can’t blame yourself.” Damn it. Bucky had forgotten how good Steve was at using anything to get his way. He didn’t want Bucky to blame himself, so he was going to try and assuage the guilt. Still… Bucky was far, far more guilty.

“My hands, Steve. My hands.” Bucky stood up. It hadn’t been half an hour yet, but it was time to go see someone who wouldn’t try and talk him out of his guilt. “Well, I should go talk to Stark. Rest up, Stevie.”

After Bucky left the room, he just stood and took a few deep breaths. What was Stark going to do? Given what he had done, if Stark never wanted to see him again, he’d make sure that happened. As long as it wasn’t turning him over to the government, Bucky would go along with what Stark wanted. (If he hadn’t been one hundred percent sure Stark would never try to use anything like the chair, he might not have been so confident in that, but even with everything between the two, he was sure. If Stark had been that kind of person, fighting him wouldn’t have broken Steve the way it had. That it hopefully never would this time.)

Far too soon Bucky found himself outside the door to Stark’s workshop. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to face the man he orphaned now that he knew what had happened. It hadn’t gone so well last time. But these were vastly different circumstances and hopefully the time to think would make all the difference this time around. He was unsure of how long he had stood outside the door when JARVIS started to speak, “Sir is ready for you.”

Startling a bit at those words, Bucky took one more deep breath to settle himself and then opened the door to the workshop. Stark’s head was bent over something on the workbench. Clearly, even though he had set the time, he was still setting the scene by making Bucky wait. After about thirty seconds, Bucky saw Stark’s head come up. While there were no tear tracks on his face, his eyes were slightly reddened. Not much, he probably wouldn’t have been able to tell without the serum, so he didn’t mention it.

“Damn you, Barnes. Damn you, and damn Natasha.” Despite the harsh words, Stark’s voice was steady and calm, not accusing. “I can’t blame a victim, despite what you did. I want to, though. But, you’re Cap’s best friend and kicking you out so I can make myself feel better is also not an option. So, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to let me fix that arm.” Bucky blinked. He was _not_ expecting that. He was more expecting to be told to avoid the man as much as possible. When Stark realized he wasn’t going to continue, the talk resumed. “You’re going to let me fix that arm so I can get used to you.” There was something on Stark’s face Bucky couldn’t identify because he didn’t know the man, but even with the several unknowns, Bucky was grateful.

“Thank you, Stark. Thank you. I’m glad I don’t have to leave Stevie behind.”

“Call me Tony, please.” Tony’s attempt at a smile was more of a grimace but Bucky was going to take what he could get.

“Thank you, Tony. I should let Stevie know-”

Cutting Bucky off, Tony interjected, “Does Stevie know?”

“He had reason to be suspicious, but it was conjecture on slim evidence, no proof.” This was the balancing act. Bucky missed the green mist that pushed him towards needing to make sure this didn’t cause a rift between Steve and Tony, but it wasn’t that important. He didn’t want a rift, anyway. “I did tell him, though, when he asked, when JARVIS… Well, he now knows, too.”

Tony nodded. “Listen, I want to work on that arm, but tomorrow? I was in the middle of some SI stuff.” And with that, Tony picked up paperwork.

Bucky didn’t know the significance of the paperwork when he left, but Steve told him. Apparently Pepper Potts had let Steve know that Tony never did paperwork unless he was avoiding something. That didn’t matter, though. This was a delicate truce, and Bucky was never going to call Tony on avoiding him, and he wasn’t going to let Stevie do it, either.

It was a lot easier to not let Steve do something when he was stuck in bed. He could still get around things, but at least he wasn’t that mobile, and this time Bucky had an AI that could tattle if Stevie tried to get up before he was all the way healed. That would have been incredibly useful before the war. And Steve’s reaction when Bucky told him that (to distract Stevie from the conversation Bucky had with Tony) was also priceless.

“I didn’t get into _that_ much trouble!” Bucky leveled Stevie with a glare. “At least not when I was having an asthma attack!” Bucky’s glare intensified. “They all _deserved_ it.” And Bucky laughed, and surprised himself. That was the first time he had laughed like that… well, he still didn’t know why he wasn’t more fucked up from what Hydra had done, but if it let him see that absolute joy on Stevie’s face when he laughed, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The rest of the evening they spent in the happy kind of reminiscing, both careful not to bring up the places where it hurt. And when they were done and ready to sleep, Bucky thought something inside that hadn’t been fixed by whatever helped him may have started to mend, just a little bit.

The next day, Bucky grabbed breakfast with Stevie, so he was treated to the sight of the doctor trying to convince him to stay in Medical longer. Apparently Tony liked his doctors tough, so, to Bucky’s surprise, Steve agreed to stay one more day. Bucky decided to both compliment the doctor and mock Stevie, “You’re a miracle worker. I didn’t think anything short of him being unable to move would keep Stevie in a bed when he should be!”

After the doctor left, Bucky turned serious. “Tony agreed to let me stay.”

Stevie instantly bristled. Even though the tone was serious, Bucky had to hold back a laugh. Despite being much larger than he had been, Steve’s attitude was _still_ like that of a yappy angry dog when he got a bee in his bonnet. “He had no right to do anything else! It wasn’t your-”

Bucky cut him off before he could build up too much steam. “Steven Grant Rogers, you stop right there. First of all, he did let me stay, so I better not hear _a word_ of this near Tony. Second of all, he had absolutely every right to kick me out. It may not have been my fault, but my hands _killed his parents_. It would be perfectly within his right to not want a reminder of that around _his home_. So, Steven, don’t say a damned word to Tony about this, okay?” When Steve looked a bit chastened, Bucky was glad. Apparently he hadn’t lost his touch.

“You just channeled my mother there, didn’t you?”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

Bucky laughed as Stevie visibly pouted. Then Steve grew serious again. “Bucky, I really am glad you’re here, and able to joke around with me… but how? After everything that happened, I thought, well, I thought you’d be more…” Steve trailed off, clearly not wanting to say the words Bucky had been thinking since he got back in the past. _Traumatized, broken, messed up_.

“I don’t know, Stevie, I really don’t. I know one thing, but I’m not yet ready to say. Maybe soon.” Bucky wanted to tell Steve that he had come from the future, but he wanted Tony to be ready to hear it, too. Secrets had gotten them into a mess, and he was going to keep them out of it by not keeping them, from any of them.

“I understand. Tell me when you’re ready?” Steve looked about ready to press, but apparently even he could learn a little bit. (Bucky was fairly sure the Widow had come in while he was talking to Tony to give Steve a lecture.)

The rest of the day was spent in happy reminiscing.

The next day JARVIS talked to Bucky as soon as he got dressed. “Sir is ready to work on your arm. He’s in the workshop.”

Slightly nervous, as he didn’t remember anyone working on his arm, and the last time Tony had come near his arm, well… Anyway, despite all that, Bucky made the trek to Tony’s workshop. When he entered, Tony was there, with a bunch of tools near a… couch? Bucky was beckoned over. “Here, let’s get you comfortable while I take a look. This may take a while.”

Bucky walked over, and carefully sat down. “Huh, you really think you’ll need a socket wrench to look at my arm? Not only _a_ socket wrench, but several? In both standard and metric?” The array of tools was startlingly comprehensive. There were probably more varieties of tools than they had in the entire garage he had worked at as a teen just on the few rolling tables near the couch.

Tony did a visible doubletake. “Wait, you know tools?”

Bucky shrugged. “I worked at a garage in high school. I know a lot about cars and tools. Not this spiffy stuff I see here, but some, yes.”

“You like cars? Maybe we can head down to the garage and-” Tony cut off. “Well, anyway, more on that later. Let’s take a look at your arm.”

Bucky’s grin at the car talk quickly morphed into a flat line. He was not ready for this, but he would never be ready. And he owed Tony this, as well. Thankfully Steve was both still in medical and didn’t know it was happening because he did not need to be mother henned by a man who needed the most mother henning of anyone he had ever met. Then, Tony surprised him. “Let me know if you need a break. I know this can’t be easy, having something you didn’t choose attached to your body, from experience.” Tony’s face was serious and somber.

“Wait, what?” Bucky was startled. 

“Oh, Steve didn’t tell you when you mentioned that I was working on your arm? I used to have an arc reactor embedded in my chest. It kept me alive.” Tony’s nonchalance was visibly careful.

“I didn’t know… that’s a lot.” That explained why Steve, back in the future, had been so upset that he had cracked the reactor on the suit.

“Yes, well, so you can trust me to be careful. Now, unless you have any objections, I’m going to get started.” After a small pause to allow for the aforementioned objection, Tony began to poke and prod at the arm.

“Tony? Can we talk about cars while you do this?” Bucky didn’t mean to sound plaintive, but he was not really happy about the arm being dug into, and he missed working at the garage. It had been some of the best times in his life, working on cars, having Stevie around, and he just wanted the good memories.

“Sure. Cars are always good.” Tony looked like he was about to say more, but then visibly stopped before making a fresh comment all about one of his cars. The two of them passed a couple of hours talking about cars while Tony poked and prodded the arm. Finally, he closed up any open panels and turned to Bucky. “Look, there’s some parts in there that are wearing out. I’ll need to take a look at the shoulder connection, and probably do some scans, but I think I can make you a new one. Would you like that?”

Bucky surprised himself with tears on his face. And before he could answer, of course that was when Steve walked in.

“Hey, fellas! I’ve been released from- Bucky? Why are you crying? Tony? What did you say?”

Before Tony could get angry or Steve could dig himself deeper, Bucky spoke up. “He offered to build me a new arm!”

“Thank you, Tony.” Steve’s voice was quiet and sincere.

“Of course! Can’t have outdated tech hanging around my Tower!” Tony attempted to sound upbeat and cheerful, but it fell a little flat with all the emotions hanging around the room. Bucky wasn’t really able to talk as the tears had started to come a little faster, and Steve’s eyes were tearing up as well. Tony continued, this time his voice a little desperate. “So, Bucky, I need to do some work for SI, but do you want to work on some cars tomorrow?”

Swallowing back the tears, Bucky managed to choke out a response. “Sure, Tony. I’ll leave you to your work.” With that, Bucky stumbled out of the room.

Steve led them to his quarters. “Buck, you okay?”

Absolutely not ready to talk about feelings yet, he responded with an answer he had yelled at Stevie multiple times for using. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine.”

“I’m going to take a nap.” Bucky left for the guest room he had been using when not spending time with Steve or making amends with Tony. Steve looked as if he wanted to follow, but Bucky sent a glare at him, making him stop.

Instead of napping, Bucky lay on the bed and thought over his options. Steve was going to ask some tough questions soon , and Tony probably also needed to know the answers even if Bucky barely knew him. But, how was he going to convince them he wasn’t crazy, that he actually did come back in time? Maybe that robot incident? He heard enough to know that the seeds for it were probably already planted. While he didn’t know why Tony had made an AI, he knew it was meant to protect the world.

Huh, maybe that was why he was back here. God knows that Tony and Steve fighting like that would make Earth vulnerable.

Bucky didn’t notice the green mist fading away with that thought. All he knew was he was going to tell them and maybe, just maybe stop a fight. And it didn’t hurt that Tony could talk engines with him. Howard Stark hadn’t been interested, so the last time he had a good mechanical talk before this morning was back in happier days, before the war. Maybe they could get past all the things between them and be friends? It would be nice to be able to have those kinds of conversations. Stevie couldn’t care less about engines.

Okay. Tomorrow. He’d tell the both of them he was from the future and see what happened. He would definitely be glossing over some things, though. Discretion was the better part of valour, no matter _what_ Steve thought. Just the general shape of things should be plenty.

Having made a decision, Bucky finally fell asleep. In the morning, everything would change.

The next morning, Bucky was awakened far too early for his tastes by an eager Steve. “Hey Buck! Want to go for a run?”

“Stevie, have I ever, in your entire life, been a morning person? No? Then why did you expect that to change?” This was said before Bucky was even fully awake, then as his mind came back online from sleep, he had a realization. “STEVEN! You just left medical _yesterday_ , why the hell do you think going on a run today is a good idea?”

“I’m not in medical anymore, and I was there longer than I had to be. I’m _fine_ to run. And I need to get my strength back.” Hearing Steve’s tone, Bucky looked up. At the look on Stevie’s face, he groaned and started to get up.

“Fuck. I don’t want to, but you’re going to run, and _you just got out of medical._ I’m not letting you run by yourself. But we have to get coffee first.”

“I don’t have any. We need to go to the common floor for that.” Steve was practically bouncing, ready to go run. Bucky knew his face looked like a thundercloud and he was going to keep it that way. He may have to run in order to keep an eye on his idiot best friend, but he didn’t have to like it. If Steve literally hadn’t just left medical, nothing would have gotten him on that run.

When they reached the common room, Tony was there, still wearing the clothes he had been when they had been in the workshop the previous day. Bucky looked on in concern. “Tony, have you gotten any sleep?”

“Eh, I’m nowhere near my record for lack of sleep. Don’t worry. I’m going to just get some coffee and go back to work.” Tony pointed at the coffeemaker which was in the process of brewing.

“Tony, you need sleep.” Steve’s voice was one that Bucky knew was concern but sounded awfully patronizing if you didn’t know Stevie well. And Tony, by the way he visibly bristled, didn’t know the tone well enough.

“And you were half-dead recently, so maybe you should stop acting immortal and take a day off from running.” The words were said with a tone that could cut glass. Bucky seized the opportunity, and ignoring the tone and focusing on the words, turned to Steve.

“See? Tony agrees with me. Let’s skip the run.” Steve frowned then turned to Tony.

“If we skip the run, you get some sleep?” This time, the concern came through a little clearer. Bucky didn’t think you needed to be a Steve expert to hear it, and Tony’s reaction proved it.

“Only if Terminator here comes down for an examination so I can make him a new arm this afternoon.” Steve frowned at Tony’s words.

“I can’t make Bucky-”

Bucky cut him off. “You can’t, but Bucky can decide that he wants to. It’s a deal, Tony.”

“But, _Buck_!” Bucky knew he won. Steve had resorted to whining, which he only did when he lost and didn’t want to admit it. Glancing over at Tony, he realized from the visible shock on Tony’s face that the whine was new to him. Who knows what that would mean for the future?

“C’mon Stevie, let’s sit down and you can tell me your favorite parts about the future.”

Several hours, and multiple rants from Stevie later, including two about privacy and three about the cost of items, especially milk, Bucky sees Tony stumble into the kitchen, with a ridiculous amount of bedhead. “Okay, Steve, you can rant to me later about how you refuse to Google anyone due to privacy issues. Tony’s up.”

Given the way Tony’s head shot up, he heard what Steve had said, and it interested him. Bucky had no idea what that was about, but clearly it meant something. Still, as long as it didn’t ruin the plans he had for while he was getting his arm replaced (and had Tony been up all night building him a new arm? Bucky thought this was going to be another examination, but Tony had said it was going to be replaced. Well, he’d find out soon.) he wasn’t going to stress about it.

“Okay, we’re all awake, Stevie didn’t ruin his healing, Tony now has had some sleep so he doesn’t look like death warmed over, I believe both of you have held up your end of the bargain, now time for me to hold up mine.” Bucky then pulled out the charm he hadn’t used since the 1940s, and spread his arms out wide towards Tony. “My arm is yours.” His tone was gallant, and Tony laughed, cheeks tinged pink.

“Wonders beyond your wildest dreams await, Robocop.” Tony looked like he was ready to give as good as he got, and even Steve was grinning at their reparte.

“My dreams can get pretty wild. You sure you’re up for the task?” This was _fun_ and Bucky was going to enjoy every moment because the fun was going to disappear once they were sitting in the workshop. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed this kind of give and take. Stevie may have missed him too much to be really up to it the way they used to, but Tony was doing a pretty good job of bantering. He hoped, as what was that quote from that movie he saw before shipping out? He hoped that this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Too soon, the three of them were sitting in Tony’s workshop and Bucky had to explain. He had to before the questions got too big and anyone felt betrayed. “So… I guess I should tell you that I am actually from the future.” Then he winced as Tony dropped the screwdriver that he was poking the metal arm with. The timing could have been better.

“Wait, Buck, _what_?” Steve was incredibly confused.

“Are you sure? This isn’t something Hydra left you with?” Tony’s voice was sharp and suspicious.

“No, it’s the truth. Tony, this might convince you. Creating that AI to protect the world is a very, very, _very_ bad idea. Especially if you use anything that comes from the Hydra base I’m about to tell you about to do it.” This time, the screwdriver clattered to the floor.

“Bruce and I haven’t told _anyone_ about that, because we have no way of making it work! Where the hell did you hear about that?”

“Various sources, while on the run, after Ultron went rogue and I watched him destroy Sokovia.” Bucky’s voice was matter of fact. Tony slumped.

“Damn. I don’t want to believe it, but I can’t think of anything that would be better proof before we actually reach the future. Steve? You know Inspector Gadget here better than I do. Is he lying?”

“Bucky is one of the best bullshitters I’ve ever met. You’re probably the only one who’s better.” Bucky winced, because Stevie knew exactly how good of a bullshitter he was, and then kept wincing as Steve continued. “In fact, I don’t think I realized you were better until today. You had me fooled, you know. I knew I was wrong about you after the Chitauri, but I didn’t realize how wrong until we got here, with you dealing with Bucky’s arm.” Steve’s voice had moved from matter of fact to wondering. Apparently Bucky wasn’t going to be the only one to share deep truths. What the hell was Stevie thinking?

“I think I owe you an apology still, for the helicarrier. Tony, I’m sorry.” Bucky watched as Tony’s jaw dropped. Tony visibly pulled himself together.

“Thank you. I… I really appreciate that.” With another deep breath, Tony regained his usual equanimity but had his own surprise for Steve. “I also owe you an apology. I’m sorry, Steve.”

After that it could only be hugging. At first, watching the two of them hug, Bucky felt a bit left out, but then, somehow, they reached out to tug him in almost simultaneously. It was a very good hug.

_5 Years Later_

Bucky was now well past the time he knew from his trip back. When 2016 passed with no fight and no Accords, he breathed a deep sigh of relief, but he still felt something was unfinished. Then, a couple months back, word had come of Thanos. It had required every bit of their skill as Avengers to defeat the Mad Titan.

Tony had been especially helpful, working with Steve on the grand plan while Bucky did the sergeant’s duty of making sure the logistics were set. And of dealing with the new recruits (he still wasn’t sure where Tony found the teenager who had Steve’s recklessness, though at least he was tougher than Steve after the serum). All of them working together, along with many other heroes Bucky didn’t even know about, let them defeat Thanos.

The three of them were tired. They were at Avengers Tower, the only ones there. With all the newbies, Tony had given them a plot of land, where Bucky had told him the Avengers had a place in the previous timeline. The three of them, along with Bruce, Thor, Clint, and Natasha had rooms both in the Tower and the new compound, but the new ones only lived in the compound.

Earlier that day, they had all come to each other with the same news. “I want to retire.” Bucky wasn’t sure who spoke that sentence first, but Steve was the first to give his plans.

“I’m going to give Sam the shield. I think he deserves it, and the United States needs someone like him.” Bucky smiled.

“Good for you, punk. I’m going to retire, too. No one needs the Winter Soldier anymore.”

“And I have Rhodey and Shuri on the lookout for someone I can mentor for the Iron Man armor. Rhodey mentioned a girl named Riri who may have created her own. If so, she’ll get all my support.” Tony looked lighter than Bucky had ever seen them. Steve was lighter than he’d been since that fateful Stark Expo, too. They were all ready for the next step in their lives.

Hidden from all of them, a ghost of a Loki that would never exist thanks to his own work whispered into the air “Mischief managed” and disappeared.


End file.
